Damper and seal for propeller quill shaft

Abstract

Damping and sealing of the quill shaft (30) that transmits torque from one rotating component to another as for example in a pitch change actuator system for aeronautical propellers is provided by an O-ring (40) mounted in the space between the end of ball screw (20) and the flange (41) radially extending from quill shaft (30) and the preload of the O-ring (40) provided by the shims (46) bearing against flange (41) and O-ring (40) which serves to enhance the wearability of splines (26, 28 and 50).

We claim: 
     
       1. For a torque transmission system for transmitting torque from one rotating component to another rotating component through a quill shaft, said quill shaft having a radially extending flange, said one rotating component being concentrically mounted relative to said another rotating component and lubricating fluid flowing therebetween, said one rotating component having an end axially spaced from said flange and defining therewith an annular groove, an annular seal means disposed in said annular groove and bearing against the end of said one rotating component and said flange for absorbing the vibratory energy encountered by said one rotating component and said another rotating component, and said seal means sealing the lubricating fluid between said one rotating component and said another rotating component. 
     
     
       2. For a torque transmission system for transmitting torque from one rotating component to another rotating component through a quill shaft as claimed in claim 1 including shim means disposed between said flange and said sealing means to preload said sealing means against said one rotating component. 
     
     
       3. For a torque transmission system for transmitting torque from one rotating component to another rotating component through a quill shaft as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sealing means includes an O-ring. 
     
     
       4. For a torque transmission system for transmitting torque from one rotating component to another rotating component through a quill shaft as claimed in claim 3 wherein said one rotating component includes spline means and said quill shaft includes spline means said spline means being in mating relationship with each other. 
     
     
       5. For a torque transmission system for transmitting torque from one rotating component to another rotating component through a quill shaft as claimed in claim 4 wherein said another rotating component includes another spline means and said quill shaft includes additional spline means in engaging relationship with said another spline means. 
     
     
       6. For a pitch change actuation system of an aeronautical propeller including a ball screw, an oil tube and a quill shaft, said ball screw being spaced from and concentrically mounted relative to said oil tube, said quill shaft being coaxially mounted to and disposed between said ball screw and said oil tube and being tapered in an axial direction, said ball screw being rotatably connected to said quill shaft and said quill shaft being rotably connected to said oil tube for transmitting torque from said ball screw to said oil tube, a flange radially extending from said quill shaft being spaced from an end of said ball screw and defining therewith an annular groove, seal means disposed in said annular groove bearing against said flange and said ball screw for absorbing vibratory energy encountered by said ball screw and said oil tube and for trapping oil between said quill shaft and said ball screw. 
     
     
       7. For a pitch change actuation system of an aeronautical propeller as claimed in claim 6 including shim means disposed between said seal means and said flange for preloading said seal means against said ball screw. 
     
     
       8. For a pitch change actuation system of an aeronautical propeller as claimed in claim 7 wherein said seal means is an O-ring. 
     
     
       9. For a pitch change actuation system of an aeronautical propeller as claimed in claim 8 including spline means on said ball screw and additional spline means on said quill shaft said spline means being in mating relationship with each other for transmitting rotary motion. 
     
     
       10. For a pitch change actuation system of an aeronautical propeller as claimed in claim 9 including a second spline means on said quill shaft and a third spline means on said oil tube and said second spline means and said third spline means being in mating relationship with each other for transmitting rotary motion.